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"They think he’s Slavic"

"I don’t know him Do you?"

He shook his head For once, she was certain he was telling the truth "No," he said

"Why do you think he was killed?"

"I don’t know"

Now, she wasn’t so certain he was telling the truth But he leaned toward her then "Don’t go running out alone"

"Noait a o running out alone"

"You don’t ever explain anything"

"I can’t explain"

"Oh?you have a hunch?"

"So like that"

"We always talk in circles"

"So let’s talk about soht?let’s talk about you"

"Let’s talk about you"

Their pasta arrived Jordan took a bite It was delicious Ragnor knew Venice, and he knew his restaurants

She took a sip of her wine, studying him "I’m an open book I live in Charleston I was born in Charleston Jared and I both greith randmother, Granny Jay We have her eyes I’h school They adore one another"

"That’s Jared and Cindy What about you?"

"Well, I did leave Charleston to go to Brown I lish and Comparative Literature I write articles now and then, but mostly I do book reviews, fiction and nonfiction I’m syndicated, and in the last few years I’ve done very well"

"And your personal life?"

She took another sip of wine "I told you I was engaged to a cop narisly details?that’s why I supposedly went so out ofreal evil in her entertain Don’t you want to ask uy nareat hair Then there was Jimmy Adair He wanted to h it Go back in time Live in a cabin with no electricity and study wolves"

"You’ve got soainst wolves"

"Nope?I’d love to visit him sometime I just didn’t want to live there Oh?I love , and "

"He was perfect"

"You’re supposed to say you’re sorry, or soed "Soyou’ve been in deeplike that"

"I’m honored"

"Thanks," she nor Wulfsson"

"Your real name?"

"It is my real name"

Their main course arrived They smiled and talked to the waiter He left

"And you’re really froinally"

"You’ve traveled a lot"

"Quite a bit"

"Doing?"

"Different things over the years Butwith antiques here and there"

"And learning languages You ht"

"No more so than the next man I travel, and I listen And take the time," he murmured ruefully

"Time?time in a place helps a lot"

"So you knew the contessa before"

"I don’t really care to go into that"

"But you think she’s evil?" Jordan wiggled her brows, as if half teasing